6 Surprising Facts About Putting The Wrong Fuel In A Car
Everybody knows that putting the wrong fuel in a car is a problem. But did you know that putting petrol in a diesel car can have serious consequences before you even start the engine? Or that it occurs more often than you’d imagine, even to the best of us?
If you think it will never happen to you or it’s no big deal, then here’s 6 facts about putting the wrong fuel in a car that might just surprise you.
Don’t Unlock Your Car
Most motorists already know that if they’ve mistakingly put petrol in a diesel tank, then they shouldn’t start the engine. But did you know that even unlocking your car can cause damage?
Putting the key in the ignition will prime the fuel pump and contaminate any components. What’s more, modern diesel cars also have a pre-ignition feature in the unlocking system to reduce the time it takes for the engine to warm up. This is set off as soon as you unlock your diesel car.
Many People Drive Away
Even though they’re aware of their mistake, many people will drive away from the pumps anyway; simply because they are too embarrassed. Don’t do it. Better a red face than thousand pounds worth of damage, which is what could happen if you don’t act immediately.
Even The Police Make Mistakes
When it comes to misfuelling, the British Police are some of the worst offenders. According to the 2015 Freedom of Information Act, almost £400,000 was spent in repair bills due to careless officers making fuelling mistakes at the pumps. The worst culprits were the Metropolitan Police who racked up £167,118 in repair costs, mainly due to putting petrol in diesel cars.
It’s A Common Mistake
Misfuelling occurs every minute; that’s around 400 times a day. According to the AA, every year 150,000 UK motorists mistakingly put petrol in a diesel car.
Your Insurance Won’t Cover It
Some insurance companies now provide misfuelling cover to pay for the costs of draining and cleaning your fuel tank if you are still at the petrol station.
If you’ve already driven away, you won’t be covered because most insurance companies will consider this negligent. So if you immediately realise your mistake, stay put.
You Can Get Immediate Help
Don’t panic. You can call Wrong Fuel Angel recovery service 24/7. Our average response time is 40 minutes, then our specialist wrong fuel engineers will drain and flush your system and have you back on the road within 20 minutes. We also offer a no start, no fee guarantee.
For more information and advice on fuelling mistakes, contact us today; we’re here to help.